Apparatus and method for sintering metallic web heat pipe

ABSTRACT

A method and an apparatus for sintering metallic web heat pipe. The pipe body of a heat pipe is held by a fastening unit. A metallic web is then inserted into the pipe body. A core rod is also inserted to the metallic web, such that the metallic web closely contacts the pipe body. The heat pipe is then sintered in an oven. Since the melting point of the metallic web is lower than that of the pipe body and the core rod, the metallic web is combined with the pipe body during the sintering process. The fastening unit then moves the heat pipe to a blocking unit. After the core rod penetrates a hole formed on the blocking unit, a holding unit is used to clamp the core rod, thereby pulling the core rod off from the heat pipe. In this manner, a heat pipe having a metallic web combined thereto is manufactured.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and a method for sintering a metallic web heat pipe, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method that can embed a bundle of fluffy elastic multi-fiber or a multi-layered interwoven metallic web into the pipe body of the heat pipe. After a core rod is inserted, the metallic web is closed adhered to the pipe body. The metallic web adheres to the inner wall of the pipe body after being sintered.

It is known that heat pipes are widely used in electronic products. When the heat reception end of a heat pipe contacts an electronic product, the heat is transferred to the pipe wall, the capillary structure and the working fluid of the heat pipe. The working fluid is then vaporized due to the absorbed heat. Since the vapor pressure at the heat reception end is higher than that of the cooling end, a pressure difference is formed therebetween, thereby driving the vapor to flow towards the cooling end. The vapor is then condensed at the cooling end, dissipating the heat to a cooling device of the heat pipe via the capillary structure and the pipe wall.

Since the vaporization of the working fluid forms many radii of curvature in the metallic web at the heat reception end, the capillary force generated therefrom will drag the condensed working fluid back to the heat reception end, thereby forming a working cycle. Therefore, so long as the capillary force generated from the metallic web is larger than that of the total pressure drop in the heat pipe, the heat pipe can complete a normal working cycle. Hence, the metallic web is one of the most important component of the heat pipe.

The fabrication of the conventional metallic web of the heat pipe requires that the core rod being inserted in to the pipe body of the heat pipe. After the core rod is inserted in the pipe body, a gap is formed between the core rod and the pipe wall. Then, some metallic powder is filled into the gap. The pipe body and the core rod are then sintered in an oven. After the sintering process, the metallic powder and the pipe body are combined with each other and the core rod is pulled off, thereby completing the fabrication of the metallic web of the heat pipe. However, since the pipe body is normally quite long, it is very difficult for the core rod to insert therein. Even if the core rod is properly inserted into the pipe body, the gap formed between the pipe body and the core rod is so inhomogeneous that the metallic powder filled therein has a huge variety of thickness. Therefore, it is very difficult to pull out the core rod after the sintering process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for sintering metallic web heat pipe. In contrast to the conventional art, a core rod is further inserted to the metallic web made of fluffy elastic multi-fiber bundle already inserted in the pipe body of the heat pipe. After the sintering process, the metallic web is combined to the pipe body of the heat pipe. Yet, the core rod is easily pulled off from the heat pipe.

Accordingly, the method of the present invention includes the following steps. The pipe body of the heat pipe is first held by a fastening unit. A metallic web is then inserted into the pipe body by a machine. A core rod is also inserted to the metallic web, such that the metallic web closely contacts the pipe body. The heat pipe is then sintered in an oven. Since the melting point of the metallic web is lower than that of the pipe body and the core rod, the metallic web is combined with the pipe body during the sintering process. The fastening unit then moves the heat pipe to a blocking unit. After the core rod penetrates a hole formed on the blocking unit, a holding unit is used to clamp the core rod, thereby pulling the core rod off from the heat pipe. The heat pipe, however, is blocked at the other side of the blocking unit. Therefore, one can easily pull off the core rod from the heat pipe. A heat pipe having a metallic web combined thereto is thus manufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a manufacturing process for inserting a metallic web into a heat pipe of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a manufacturing process for inserting a core rod into the metallic web.

FIG. 3 illustrates a manufacturing process for inserting the metallic web and the core rod into the heat pipe.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a process for pulling off the core rod from the heat pipe.

FIG. 6 illustrates the combination of the heat pipe and the metallic web, according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to better understanding the features and technical contents of the present invention, the present invention is hereinafter described in detail by incorporating with the accompanying drawings. However, the accompanying drawings are only for the convenience of illustration and description, no limitation is intended thereto.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a manufacturing process for inserting a metallic web and a core rod into a heat pipe of the present invention is illustrated. As shown, the method and the apparatus for sintering a metallic web heat pipe includes the following steps. First, a metallic web 2 is inserted into a heat pipe 1. In addition, a core rod 3 is inserted into the pipe body 11. The core rod 3 can push the metallic web 2 such that it closely contacts the pipe wall 12. After a sintering process is performed, the metallic web 2 is combined with the pipe body 11.

The heat pipe 1 described above is made of copper or aluminum, which includes a pipe body 11.

The metallic web 2 is made of a bundle of multi-fiber or a multi-layered interwoven web, which is fluffy and elastic.

The core rod 3 is made of iron (iron alloy), nickel (nickel alloy) or titanium (titanium alloy), which includes a slanted surface 31. The slanted surface 31 can ease the core rod 3 from inserting into and pulling off from the heat pipe 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, a process for manufacturing a heat pipe of the present invention is illustrated. The process of the present invention includes the following steps.

First, a metallic web 2 is inserted. A holding portion 41 of a fastening unit 4 holds the pipe body 11 of the heat pipe 1. The metallic web 2 is then inserted into the pipe body 11 by employing a machine.

Then, a core rod is inserted. The core rod 3 is pushed and inserted to the metallic web 2 after the metallic web 2 is inserted into the pipe body 11. Meanwhile, the core rod 3 can push the metallic web 2 to closely contact the pipe body 11.

After that, a sintering process is performed. The core rod 3 pushes the metallic web 2 to closely contact the pipe body 11. The pipe body 11 of the heat pipe 1 is then sintered in an oven. The melting point of the pipe body 11 of the heat pipe 1 is higher than that of the metallic web 2. The melting point of the core rod 3 is higher than that of the heat pipe 1 and the metallic web. Therefore, the sintering process can melt the metallic web 2 to combine with the pipe body 11.

Next, the core rod 3 is pulled off. After the metallic web 2 and the pipe body 11 are combined in the sintering process, the fastening unit 4 will move the heat pipe 1 to a blocking unit 5. The blocking unit 4 includes a hole 51 that allows only the core rod 3 to penetrate therethrough. After the core rod 3 is penetrated through the hole 51 of the blocking unit 5, one end of the core rod 3 is located at one side of the blocking unit 5. The heat pipe 1 is then blocked at the other side of the blocking unit 5. Meanwhile, the power generation element (e.g. a combustion chamber, a oil pressure chamber and a motor) 61 of the holding unit 6 is operated, pushing the clamp 62 to hold one end of the core rod 3. When the power generation element 61 pulls the clamp 62 back, the core rod 3 is easily pulled out from the heat pipe 1 because the end edge of the heat pipe 1 is blocked by the blocking unit 5. Now, the metallic web 2 is combined with the pipe body 11 of the heat pipe 1.

Referring to FIG. 6, the manufactured combination of the heat pipe and the metallic web of the present invention is illustrated. As shown, a multi-layered metallic web 2 is formed on the pipe body 11 of the heat pipe 1, after the heat pipe 1 is sintered and the core rod 3 is pulled out. By employing the metallic web 2, the vaporized working fluid can transfer heat to the cooling end. The condensed working fluid can also return to the heat reception end via the metallic web 2.

Further, the slanted surface 31 formed on one end of the core rod 3 allows the core rod 3 to easily insert into and pull off from the pipe body. Meanwhile, the surface of the core rod 3 can be adhered with carbon powder, so as to ease the insertion or the pull-off process of the core rod 3.

Since, any person having ordinary skill in the art may readily find various equivalent alterations or modifications in light of the features as disclosed above, it is appreciated that the scope of the present invention is defined in the following claims. Therefore, all such equivalent alterations or modifications without departing from the subject matter as set forth in the following claims is considered within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A method for sintering metallic web heat pipe, comprising the steps of: preparing a pipe body, which is securely hold by a fastening unit, and inserting a metallic web into the pipe body; inserting a core rod into the metallic web, the core rod closely contacting the inner wall of the pipe body; sintering the heat pipe in an oven, whereby the metallic web is melt to combine with the pipe body; and moving the heat pipe to a blocking unit, and pulling off the core rod from the heat pipe through a hole on the blocking unit, thereby pulling the core rod away from the pipe body of the heat pipe.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the metallic web comprises a bundle of multi-fiber.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the metallic web comprises a multi-layered interwoven web.
 4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fastening unit comprises a holding portion for holding the pipe body.
 5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the core rod is made of one of iron, iron alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium and titanium alloy.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the core rod comprises a slanted surface.
 7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the core rod is adhered with powder.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the powder comprises carbon powder.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the fastening unit comprises a power generation element and a clamp.
 10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the power generation unit is one of a combustion chamber, an oil pressure chamber and a motor.
 11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the melting point of the core rod is higher than that of the heat pipe and the metallic web.
 12. An apparatus for sintering a metallic web heat pipe, the apparatus comprising: a fastening unit for holding the pipe body of a heat pipe; a core rod inserted into the pipe body of the heat pipe for closely contacting a metallic web to the pipe body; a blocking unit for blocking the heat pipe, allowing only the core rod to penetrate therethrough; and a holding unit for holding one end of the core rod that penetrates through the blocking unit.
 13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the fastening unit comprises a holding portion for holding the pipe body.
 14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the metallic web comprises a bundle of multi-fiber or a multi-layered interwoven web.
 15. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the core rod is made of one of iron, iron alloy, nickel, nickel alloy, titanium and titanium alloy.
 16. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the core rod comprises a slanted surface.
 17. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the core rod is adhered with powder.
 18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the powder comprises carbon powder.
 19. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the fastening unit comprises a power generation element and a clamp.
 20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the power generation unit is one of a combustion chamber, an oil pressure chamber and a motor.
 21. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the melting point of the core rod is higher than that of the heat pipe and the metallic web.
 22. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the blocking unit includes a hole formed thereon. 